“No one listens to me!” you might complain. But you can do something about it. You can collect other voices and create a louder noise — one that’s harder for people to ignore. Here are some ways to create an effective petition campaign.

*IMPORTANT NOTE* If you plan to take your petition door-to-door, never go alone. Always get a parent, teacher, or other adult to go with you!

Most of the time you’ll use an 8-1/2″ by 11″ sheet of paper to describe the problem and collect your signatures. But sometimes your medium might also be part of the message. If the problem is for example, reducing waste in restrooms, you might collect signatures on a roll of toilet paper.

Give your petition a title.

Identify your group.

Identify the official or agency that will receive your petition.

Write a statement describing the problem you want to resolve or the plan you are proposing. This statement should be at the top of every petition page so that people can’t say they didn’t understand what they were signing.

Provide blank lines for people to write…
signature
class, grade, or group
school or hometown
address and phone number

Number the signature lines for easy totaling.

Remember to smile!

Keep calm and stay polite with people who disagree with you. Never speak rudely

Photocopy your signatures and keep the copy in a safe place. You may need the proof later!